This stuff is seriously delicious and I’m so excited to share it with you!
For those unfamiliar, bread cheese is a Scandinavian and Finnish cheese also called juustoleipä, or Leipäjuusto. There, it is typically eaten with morning coffee, or a slice is dropped into the coffee and then eaten after the coffee is gone when it is soft and warm. Bread cheese has no bread in it, but is named due to the way placing it under a broiler caramelizes the top making it appear similar to a bread crust. Because it’s not a melting cheese, it’s also popular here and elsewhere, to sauté or grill it and eat it as is or with honey, jam, syrup or walnuts. We love it sautéed and eaten plain or dipped in honey. It’s so easy to make and if you’re interested in trying to make it, here’s our recipe: If you’re interested in buying some, we’ve found Carr Valley brand to be great and it’s sold at some Kroger’s.
Bread Cheese (AKA Squeaky Cheese, Juustoleipä, or Leipäjuusto)
Equipment
- 1 Something to Press Your Cheese In (This does not have to be something intended to press cheese. We use 2 round cake pans that fit tightly inside each other. The bottom one has holes drilled in the bottom and the top one is used to create the pressure needed when heavy items are stacked on top).
Ingredients
- 8 1/4 Cup Whole Milk (When we use raw milk, we use milk that has been skimmed down to approx. a 1-1.5 inch cream line).
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/8 tsp Liquid Rennet diluted in 1/8 cup cool water (We use 300 IMCU)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Heat milk & cream to 96°. Let it stabilize to around 98.6 then add rennet and stir well. Cover and let rest 1 hour.
- Heat to 150° while using a slotted spoon to constantly and gently push curds to the center of the pot.
- Once at 150°, allow it to cook there for 2-3 minutes while still pushing the curds to the center.
- Using a slotted spoon, spoon the curds into a cheesecloth-covered mold. Mix in the salt. ( I usually mix this in with my fingers, but be careful it's not too hot).
- Fold the cloth over and press for 1 hour to drain the whey. After 1 hour we flip it over and press for another hour. It may take you more or less time to drain the whey depending on your molds and how much pressure you apply to drain
- After cheese is dry, heat your broiler to high and place your cheese on a pan beneath it. Leave it there until the top caramelizes to your liking. Some people flip it and do the other side as well, but we just do one side.
- Let cool, then wrap and refrigerate.
To Eat
- We like to slice into about 1/4" thickness. Heat a nonstick pan on medium heat and cook slices a few minutes on 2 sides until golden brown to your liking. We don't use any oils or sprays in the pan and it doesn't stick.It's delicious dipped in honey, marinara, or eaten plain.
This turned out amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing!